A Vaccine is a medical preparation that prepares the body for a certain disease prepared. It stimulates the Immune system to produce defence substances (e.g. Antibodies) against a pathogen.
Types of vaccines:
- Live vaccinescontain attenuated but harmless pathogens (e.g. measles vaccination).
- Inactivated vaccinescontain killed pathogens or only parts of them (e.g. hepatitis B vaccination).
- mRNA and vector vaccines: newer methods in which the body receives instructions to produce a harmless piece of the pathogen itself (e.g. COVID-19 vaccines).
Effect:
- The immune system "learns" about the pathogen without having to go through the disease.
- If an infection occurs later, the body is able to transmit the pathogen Combat quickly and effectively.
